Growing Edible Mushrooms in Conifer Shavings

Buy mushroom spawn from a reputable grower or online source. If you choose to grow oyster mushrooms, some of the more interesting types include the chocolate brown, coral, blue-capped and golden oyster varieties. Other mushroom species that grow in conifer shavings include hen-in-the-woods, wood ears, nameko, white cloud and enoki.

Mix together conifer shavings and the mushroom spawn in a mixing container, using gloves to keep from getting dirty. If you don’t have enough conifer shavings, you can add rice or wheat bran to the mix. Buy conifer shavings from lumber mills or online. If you prefer to use conifer shavings without insects and other pests, pasteurize your shavings by putting some in an oven bag, moistening with water and heating them from 140 to 160 degrees F for 30 minutes. Wait for the shavings to completely cool down before mixing them with the spawn.

Sprinkle the mixture with any water you'd use on indoor plants. Regular bottled water works well.

Pack a clean plastic bag with the conifer shavings and mushroom spawn mix. Any size clear plastic bag that holds up without tearing works best as long as it it's clean. For smaller mushroom growing operations, gallon plastic bags work well. You may also use a clean plastic bottle, such as a 2-liter pop bottle, to hold the mix.

Punch holes all over the top and sides of the bag or bottle with the nail to allow the mushroom spawn to breathe and grow through the openings.

Hang the bags or bottles or set them on racks indoors in a humid location where plenty of fresh air flows through the growing area. Mushrooms grow best in an area with no direct sunlight and a consistent temperature of 60 degrees F.

Water the bag or bottle every day, sprinkling the water into the holes. If you notice water droplets inside the bag when you go to water each day, stop watering for few days.

Harvest the mushrooms that pop out of the holes. Oyster mushrooms are ready for harvest about 14 days after planting, and continue to produce crops for a few weeks. Shiitake mushrooms take about seven weeks before you may harvest the first mushrooms with multiple crops available over a period of four months. Enoki mushrooms take about 90 days to produce one crop. After enoki mushrooms are harvested, they will not produce another crop.